Pomegranates and Grapes

1879-1881

Working closely with skilled craftsmen, Kiyochika expanded the aesthetic range of Japanese woodblock prints. In this image, he replicated the effects of a Western oil painting of a still-life by using chiaroscuro and highlights to suggest volume and space, thus revealing his awareness of this foreign tradition. In order to ensure that his designs were reproduced to his satisfaction, he was deeply involved in the printmaking process-a task traditionally left to professional printers.